Some Latinos fear becoming a guinea pig. Others worry about cost or trust. But clinical trials can provide volunteers potentially life-saving treatments and help researchers learn how to manage and treat different diseases for their family and communities. UT Health San Antonio held a Zoom webinar — “Busting the Myths and Cultural Barriers to Clinical Trials” — at 11 a.m. CT on March 9, 2023. This webinar features health experts and real Latino clinical trial volunteers to help define clinical trials, bust several common cultural, social, and logistical myths about clinical trials, and share testimonials of trial participation. Panelists will also connect audience members with culturally relevant resources and available opportunities to participate in clinical trials ...
Researchers are exploring a genetic variant that could explain the higher rates of Alzheimer’s among Latinos living in Puerto Rico. This work – which is ongoing – could help fill a critical gap in Latino Alzheimer’s research and spark new treatments for dementia, according to researchers at the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics at the University of Miami. “A genetic target, which drug companies are showing interest in, is twice as likely to be successful therapeutically than nongenetic targets,” Margaret Pericak-Vance, leader of the Hussman Institute, told NBC News. Let’s dive into the research and how it impacts Latinos!
The Need for Genetic Research on Alzheimer’s among Latinos
Latinos are 1.5 times more likely than their peers to have ...
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be debilitating and place a significant burden on patients, their families, employers, and the government. While genetics and health inequities do play a role in the development and progression of RA, social issues, such as lack of family and friend support, can also play a role in the progression of the disease. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center want to learn more about how social and genetic factors affect RA in Latinos, who often face social issues when it comes to health. You can help by participating in a clinical trial no matter where you live in the US!
Rheumatoid Arthritis Study Qualifications
To be eligible for this clinical trial, you must be age 18 or older and of Hispanic/Latino heritage. You may ...
Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that help researchers learn how to slow, manage, and treat different diseases. There are four phases of clinical trials that each help scientists answer different questions. Phase 1 clinical trials are the first step in testing a new treatment in people. They focus on evaluating the safety, side effects, best dose, and timing of a new treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Phase 1 clinical trials usually include a small number of patients who have not been helped by other treatments. In the past, participants in phase 1 trials for cancer treatment generally had low tumor response rates. And, because phase 1 trials are focused on assessing safety of treatments, doctors have hesitated to refer patients to these ...
If you’re age 75 or older, you should know about PREVENTABLE. PREVENTABLE – the Pragmatic Evaluation of events And Benefits of Lipid-lowering – is a clinical trial to help researchers understand if taking a statin, a drug commonly used to lower cholesterol in younger adults, is helpful for older adults, specifically when it comes to maintaining health by preventing dementia, disability, and heart disease. “We really don’t know how these drugs work in older adults,” according to the research team at UT Health San Antonio, including Dr. Sara Espinoza, principal investigator for the local study site. “Most, if not all, of the studies of statins have been done in much younger people, in their 50s and 60s, but studies in adults over 75 are rare.” The national study is ...
This is part of the "Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: 2022 Conference Proceedings," which summarizes findings and discussions of the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 23-25, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
Novel Therapeutic Approach to Reduce Health Disparity in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Hispanic/Latino Children
Dr. Sinisa Dovat is Professor of Pediatrics, Pharmacology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He is also Four Diamond Endowed Chair and Director of Translational Research and Experimental Therapeutics in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Penn State University. B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Hispanic children B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) ...
Consuming cold-water fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids could preserve brain health and enhance cognition in middle age, according to a recent study led by researchers at UT Health San Antonio and the Framingham Heart Study. “Our results, albeit exploratory, suggest that higher omega-3 fatty acid concentrations are related to better brain structure and cognitive function in a predominantly middle-aged cohort free of clinical dementia,” according to the study.
What Are Omega-3s?
Omega-3s are a family of essential fatty acids that play an important role in the human body. “Although evidence is mixed, studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids can protect against all sorts of illnesses, including breast cancer, depression, ADHD, and various inflammatory diseases,” ...
We all want the best for our children. While the thought of enrolling your child in a clinical trial may sound scary, but there are plenty of benefits to trial participation. Some of these benefits include diagnosing, preventing, treating, and sometimes even curing childhood diseases. However, there are some potential risks to trial participation, too. Here’s everything you need to know about enrolling your child in a clinical trial.
What is a Clinical Trial?
Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that help researchers learn how to slow, manage, and treat different diseases. There are different kinds of clinical trials with different intended purposes. There are also four phases of clinical trials that each help scientists answer different ...
Rapamycin is a medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as an immunosuppressant drug, making it helpful in preventing rejection in organ transplantation. The medication has also been tested in prior studies — like clinical trials, which help researchers learn how to better slow, manage, and treat diseases — as a treatment for cancer and to evaluate its effects on physical and cognitive function and immune health. Now, researchers at UT Health San Antonio are recruiting participants for a study to evaluate Rapamycin’s effects on heart function, heart muscle stiffening, and circulation. Participants will be compensated up to $300 for study completion, which involves five study visits over the course of about two months.
Who Can Participate in the Rapamycin ...
